Safety is a mind set that integrates several variables: curriculum, technology, and preparedness. The Coast teachers and auxillary staff consider safety our greatest duty and by instilling a sense of discipline for safety in the outdoors, our students gain a deep sense of self-respect. We believe that learning in the natural environment challenges our faculties, making us stronger, intellectually sharper, team oriented, and more self-confident. It also teaches us natural consequences. To mitigate and manage risk, we emphasize personal responsibility, under instruction and guidance. Although the activities and environments are often new to the students, the way in which we handle our responsibilities remains constant. Reckless behaviour is not part of the Coast culture; caring for ourselves, others, and the enironment is the Coast culture.
The curriculum for COAST is critical for managing safety. Student learning and development excels in the outdoors with safe, effective curriculum. The COAST program adheres to safety standards and protocals set forth by School District 43 and leading industry standards in outdoor education. The teachers and auxillary staff continually develop and shape the curriculum to maintain high standards.
There are three areas of curricular risk management that we emphasize through our leadership training: self, group, and environment.
Self: Leadership of ourselves is the most important responsiblity as it lays the foundation for a strong team. By taking good care of ourselves physically, we are able to make better decisions. This involves working on organization skills, knowing how to protect ourselves in various environments, and meeting our basic needs. Developing self-awareness - understanding why we do something - is a leadership tool used to manage safety. Acknowledging our motivations is a powerful lesson to making good decisions for ouselves and the team.
Group: A strong team develops compassion, gratitude, and respect. Each member is responsible for watching out for their team and communicating concerns. We embrace our strengths and weaknesses to support each other.
Environment: Developing knowledge and awareness of the environment and the inherent risk is essential for safety. We embrace wisdom - knowledge learned and documented from others - and observation - what we are witnessing in the moment. Collecting and gathering information on an outing is part of our curriculum that stimulates engagement amongst the participants, and helps to manage safety.
Technology: The Coast program uses technology to manage safety. Communication devices and first aid equipment are carried on every trip. Each of the devices is inspected, tested, and updated prior to outings. Our first priority is to provide excellent curriculum and instruction to manage the team and safety concerns. We do not depend on technology to keep us safe, but we use it to support us.
Emergency Plans: On each outing, we carry current specific details related to each of the participants, to resources located closest to our location, and contingency plans. Our goal is to facilitate a timely response in case of an emergency.